Well casing attachment



July -8, 1941. D. SCARAMUCCI 2,248,124

WELAL CASING ATTACHMENT Filed Oct. 4, 1939 w o @N M Patented July 8, 1941 .signor Oklahoma Domer Scaramucci, Oklahoma City, Okla... as-

to Oil Equipment Engineering Corporation, Oklahoma City, Okla.,

a corporation of Application October 4, 1939, Serial No. 297,926 12 Claims.' (Cl. 166-9) The present invention relates to well casing attachments and pertains particularly to cementing shoes which guide and float the well casing as well as wash down the hole ahead of the casing.

It is the principal object of. the invention to provide practical means 'for accomplishing all of these enumerated functions efiiciently with a I simple casing attachment.

More specifically stated, it is intended to provide a guide and float shoe with side ports arranged to open and discharge cement after the casing has been set on the bottom of the hole. Novel port means are provided for ejecting the cement upwardly in a circular spray; This port means is characterized by an annular headerand a resilient sealing or valve ring.

In one form of the invention the resilient sealing member is constructed and arranged to function also as the packing member in a packoff shoe.

It is proposed also to minimize cement contamination of sand below the shoe and to avoid undesirable washing of the walls as the casing is lowered. Among the additional important purposes which the instant invention achieves are the elimination of valve constructions requiring sliding parts and spring means which are difficult to drill up, and external devices which oh-- jectionably increase the diameter of the shoe attachment. It is also noteworthy that any possibility of uneven distribution of the cement or channeling is avoided by the annular header or groove which connects .with the discharge ends of the lateral or side ports within the valve ring.

These and other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from a reading of the following detailed description of one preferred embodiment and a modified form thereof when taken with the accompanying drawing,'in which Fig. 1 illustrates the casing shoe attachment by means of a longitudinal section;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section similar to Fig. l, but differing therefrom in the position of certain parts and the showing of the attachment in relation to the bottom of a well bore;

Fig. 3 shows the plug part of the attachment in side elevation;

Fig. 4 represents a top plan view of the part shown in Fig. 3; 1

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the assembled attachment taken on the plane of line A-A in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of a modified form of attachment;

'l is a longitudinal section similar to Fig. 6, but differing therefrom in'the position of certain parts and the showing of the attachment in its relation to a well bore; and

' Fig. a'shows in side elevation the plugpartof the-modified attachment.

In the casing attachment which is embodied in 'the device of Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, l0 indicates a cylindrical casing shoe, which may be of plow steel and which is provided with internal threads l2 in its upper end adapted to be connected to the end of a casing section. The lower end portion of shoe ll has an integral threaded connection with agenerally cylindrical plug l6 of a drillable material, for example, aluminum or cementitious material. A pointed or rounded lower end J8 of the plug it extends below the shoe Ill, forming at its upper part a fair continuation of the outer surface of said shoe.

A longitudinal passageway 20 of relatively large cross-section extends through plug [6 for purposes now to be set forth. Intermediate of the passageway 20 there may be provided an enlarged valve chamber 22 containing a ball check valve 24 which is drillable, and buoyant in well fluid or cement slurry. Such valves are generally made of bakelite. When checkv'alve 24 is floated orforced upwardly, it closes the upper end of passageway 20 and prevents fluid from passing upward into the shoe H). The valve chamber is designed to permit downward fluid flow at all other times, namely. when fluid pressure pushes valve 24 down into an open position (Fig. 2).

In the lower or guide end 18 of plug IS, a number of passages 26 extend in a generally radial direction from the lower end of passageway 20. Preferably, these passages are uniformly spaced in a horizontal plane, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 5 where four passages are employed. An annular header 28 is formed at the outer ends or ports of passages 25, as by providing a deep circumferential groove or channel of arcuate shape in the plug l6 (Fig. 3).

Of particular importance is the flexible valve ring 30 which normally closes the outer side of fitting and of a height adequately to cover the discharge header 28 and its connecting passages 26. Note is to be taken that the rubber ring 'has the form of a tapered sleeve of approxconnection.

imately the slope of the closely encircled portion of the pointed or guide end I8 of plug I6. The lower edge of rubber ring 30 is anchored in plug I6 below header 28,. and is shouldered with a downwardly extending flange 32 for this purpose.

Referring to Fig. 2 in which the upper portion ent nature, the ring or sleeve 300, which may be molded from rubber of suitable composition, needs no other anchoring means.

In the instances where a rat-hole, RH in Fig. 7, is drilled into the oil sand; the modified attachment with its long, tapered, resilient sleeve 300 serves also as a formation packer, and cement may be discharged laterally past the upper end of the resilient valve and packer ring which is above the shallow rat-hole. Otherwise, the

. modification which has just been described funcdisclosed in the foregoingparagraphs, it will be understood that the attachment is mounted on the lower end of a stringof well casing and that the shoe threads I2 are intended for making the Initially, the casing will be floated by the action of ball check valve 24 closing the passageway to flow upward into the casing. Any timefiduringthe running-in of the casing circulating fluid unkler high pressure can be forced down the casing. to unseat the ball check valve 24 and open the lower end of passageway 20. The discharge from the main passageway 20 will be highly efficient in removing bridges and generally cleaning the borehole ahead of thecasing shoe. By preventing lateral discharge of circulating fluid at this time, the action of the passageway 20 willbe rendered most effective, since there will be no diversion of pressure fluid.

If the passages 26 were not closed, the fluid discharge through them would tend to remove the protective wall layer and cause the hole to cave. After the casing has been landed on the bottom of the hole, circulating fluid and cement will be ejected upwardly, as seen in Fig, 2 whichshows the flexed or open position of sealing ring 30. The combined effect of the plurality of outwardly extending passages 26, their annular tions the same in operation as the previously set forth form of the invention.

Great simplification without reduction in efficiency has been obtained by combining the functions of a packer and of a valve for lateral ports in a unitary resilient ring.

Obvious structural changes are all that is rements of this invention have been disclosed hereheader 28, and the resilient ring 30 will produce an Qupw'ardly directed circular jet or spray of cement; which will be'so uniform as to preclude channeling.

While the pack-oil shoeembodiment-of the invention shown in Figs, 6, 7, and 8 includes the featureswhich have been described in detail, it has a different arrangementof lateral passages and an extended form of resilient valve ring.

In this instance a short casing shoe I00 is threaded internally at its upper end, as indicated by reference numeral. I20. An internal. threaded connection I40 at its lower end secures it to a frangible, drillable plug I which has a long conical .guide end orextension I80 below shoe I00. A similar longitudinal passageway 200 passes through plug I60 withan intermediate valve chamber 220 for a buoyant ball check valve 240 intermediate its ends.

Four passages 260 extend outwardly fromthevalve chamber 220 and connect with a circumferential'header 280 formed by a relatively deep groove in the lateral surface of the plug guide end I80 a short distance below the end of shoe I00. A uniform spacing and radial arrangement of passages 260 are illustrated as the preferred relation.

The passages 260 and their header 280 are closed by a resilient valve ring 800 of uniform and substantial thickness retained in a complemental channel 3I0 in the lower end I80 of plug I60. Due to its tapered shape, extent and resiliimithose versed in the art will realize that numerous changes may be made in "construction which will come within the scope-of the appended claims; '5.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A well casing attachment comprising a hollow cylindrical member adapted to be connected to the end of a casing section; frangible plug means having a longitudinal passageway secured within the cylindrical member, said plug means being provided with side ports connecting with said passageway and a header channel joining the side ports at the periphery of the attach-f ment; and a resilient valve ring disposed over the header and having its lower portion joined to i the attachment so that its upper edge may flex outwardly and uncover the header channel in response to internal fluid pressure.

2. A well casing attachment comprising a cylindrical shoe; a drillable plug with a longitudinal the passageway for preventing flow into the casing; and a resilient ring secured to the outer surfaceof the plug so as to cover the outer ends of the outwardly extending passages and arranged to flex away from the plug at its upper edge to permit fluid to be discharged from said passages.

3. A well casing attachment comprising a'cylindrical shoe; a plug with a longitudinal passageway joined to said shoe, said plug being provided with a plurality of equally spaced radial passages extending outwardly from its longitudinal passageway; ball check valve means intermediate the passageway for preventing flow into the casing; and a resilient tapered sleeve secured to the outer surface of the plug so as to cover the outer I ends of the outwardly extending passages and arranged to flex away from the plug at its upper edge to permit fluid to be discharged from said therefrom, said plug having a plurality of passages extending outwardly from the longitudinal passagewayand an annular header groove In its sages; and a resilient sealing ring arranged to cover; the groove and passage ends, said ring having its lower edge portion anchored in the plug. l v

5.-.A\well casing attachment comprising a cylindrical shoe; a frangible plug witha longitudinal'passageway connected to the shoe and havi a pointed end projecting therefrom, said plug lifting a plurality of passages extending outwardly from the longitudinal passageway and an annular header channel in its outer surface joining the outer ends of the passages; and a resilient sealing ring of rubber arranged to cover the groove and passage ends; said ring havin its'lower edge portion anchored in the plug.

6. A well casing attachment comprising a cylindrical shoe; a frangible plug with a longitudinal passageway'connected' to the shoe and projecting therefrom; valve means intermediate the passageway for preventing flow into the casing,

said plug having a plurality of passages extending outwardly from the longitudinal passageway belowthe valve means and an annular header groove in its outer surface joining the outer ends of the passages; and a resilient sealing ring arranged to coverthe groove and passage ends, said ring having its lower edge portion anchored in' the plug.

7 '7. A well casing attachment comprising a cylindrical shoe; a frangible plug with a longitudiplug having four radial passages extending out-' wardly from the longitudinal passageway and an annular header groove in its outer surface join ing a float valve Joined to said shoe. said piug having a longitudinal passageway therein and a plurality of outwardly extending passages connecting the passageway with the outer surface ofthe plug; and a long resilient ring complementally engaging the pointed outer surface of the plug so as to cover the passages with its upper end and to seal an adjacent formation hole with its lower end, the upper end of the ring being free to flex away from the plug to uncover the passages when fluid under pressure is forced therethrough.

10. A formation packer comprising, in combination, a casing shoe; a tapered guide plug including a float valve joined to said shoe, said plug having a longitudinal passageway therein, a plurality of outwardly extending passages connecting the passageway with the outer surface of the plug and an annular header groove joining the outer ends of the passages; and a long resilient ring complementally engaging. the tapered outer surface of the plug so as to cover the I passages and groove with its upper end and to ing the outer ends of the passages; and'a resilient sealing ring closely encircling the lower end and arranged to cover the groove and passage ends, said ring having its lower edge portiian reduced in thickness and anchored in the D ug.

8. A formation packer comprising, in combination, a casing shoe; a'pointed guide plug including a float valve joined to said shoe, said plug having a longitudinal passageway therein and a plurality of outwardly extending passages near its upper end connecting the passageway with the outer surface of the plug; and a long resilient ring of rubber complementally engaging thepointed outer surface of the plug so as to cover the passages with its upper end and to seal an adjacent formation hole with its lower end, the upper end of the ring being free to flex away from the plug to uncover the passages when fluid under pressure is forced therethrough.

9. A formation packer comprising, in combination,-a casing shoe; a pointed guide plug includseal an adjacent formation hole with its lower end, the upper end of the ring being free to flex away from the plug to uncover the passages and groove when fluid under pressure is forced therethrough.

11. A formation packer comprising, in combination, a casing shoe; a tapered guide plug includinga float valve joined to said shoe, said plug having a longitudinal passageway therein, a plurality of outwardly extending passages connecting the passageway with the outer surface of the plug, and a packer groove in its outer sru'face; and a long resilient ring complementaily. received in the packer groove of the plug on its tapered outer surface and disposed so as to cover the passages with its upper end and to seal *an adjacent formation hole with its lower end, the upper end of the ring being free to flex awayfrom the plug to uncover the passages when fluid under pressure is forced therethrough,

' 12. A formation packer comprising, in combination, a casing shoe; a pointed guide plug joined to said shoe. said plug having a longitudinal passageway therethrough and a plurality of outwardly extending passages connecting the passageway with the outer surface of the plug; and a long resilient ring complementally engaging the pointed outer surface of the plug so. as to cover the passages" with its upper end and to seal an adjacent formation hole with its lower end, the upper end of the ring being free to flex away from the plug to uncoverthe passages when nuid under pressure is forced therethrough.

pom somassoccr. 

